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tave five（第2页）

“I’llsendittoBobCratchit’s！”whisperedScrooge，rubbinghishands，andsplittingwithalaugh.“Heshan’tknowwhosendsitIt’stwicethesizeofTinyTiJoeMillernevermadesuchajokeassendingittoBob’swillbe！”

Thehandinwhichhewrotetheaddresswasnotasteadyone，butwriteithedid，somehow，andwentdownstairstoopenthestreetdoor，readyforthecomingofthepoulterersman.Ashestoodthere，waitinghisarrival，theknockercaughthiseye.

“Ishallloveit，aslongasIlive！”criedScrooge，pattingitwithhishand.“Iscarcelyeverlookedatitbefore.Whatanhonestexpressionithasinitsface.It’sawonderfulknocker.Here’stheturkey.Hollo！Whoop！Howareyou？MerryChristmas！”

Itwasaturkey！Henevercouldhavestooduponhislegs，thatbird.Hewouldhavesnapped’emshortoffinaminute，likesticksofsealing-wax.

“Why，it’simpossibletocarrythattoCamdenTown，”saidScrooge.“Youmusthaveacab.”Thechucklewithwhichhesaidthis，andthechucklewithwhichhepaidfortheturkey，andthechucklewithwhichhepaidforthecab，andthechucklewithwhichherecompensedtheboy，wereonlytobeexceededbythechucklewithwhichhesatdownbreathlessinhischairagain，andchuckledtillhecried.

Shavingwasnotaneasytask，forhishandcontinuedtoshakeverymuch；andshavingre-quiresattention，evenwhenyoudon’tdancewhileyouareatit.Butifhehadcuttheendofhisnoseoff，hewouldhaveputapieceofsticking-plasteroverit，andbeenquitesatisfied.

Hedressedhimself“allinhisbest，”andatlastgotoutintothestreets.Thepeoplewerebythistimepouringforth，ashehadseenthemwiththeGhostofChristmasPresent；andwalkingwithhishandsbehindhim，Scroogeregardedeveryonewithadelightfulsmile.Helookedsoirresistiblypleasant，inaword，thatthreeorfourgood-humouredfellowssaid，“Good-morning，sir.AMerryChristmastoyou！”AndScroogesaidoftenafterwards，thatofalltheblithesoundshehadeverheard，thoseweretheblithestinhisears.

Hehadnotgonefar，whencomingontowardshimhebeheldtheportlygentlemanwhohadwalkedintohiscounting-housethedaybeforeandsaid，“ScroogeandMariey’s，Ibelieve？”Itsentapangacrosshishearttothinkhowthisoldgentlemanwouldlookuponhimwhentheymet；butheknewwhatpathlaystraightbeforehim，andhetookit.

“Mydearsir，”saidScrooge，quickeninghispace，andtakingtheoldgentlemanbybothhishands.“Howdoyoudo？Ihopeyousucceededyesterday.Itwasverykindofyou.AMerryChristmastoyou，sir！”

“Mr.Scrooge？”

“Yes，”saidScrooge.“Thatismyname，andIfearitmaynotbepleasanttoyou.Allowmetoaskyourpardon.Andwillyouhavethegoodness—”hereScroogewhisperedinhisear.

“Lordblessme！”criedthegentleman，asifhisbreathweretakenaway.“MydearMr.Scrooge，areyouserious？”

“Ifyouplease，”saidScrooge.“Notafarthingless.Agreatmanyback-paymentsareincludedinit，Iassureyou.Willyoudomethatfavour？”

“Mydearsir，”saidtheother，shakinghandswithhi“Idon’tknowwhattosaytosuchmunifi—

“Don’tsayanything，please，”retortedScrooge.“Comeandseeme.Willyoucomeandseeme？”“Iwill！”criedtheoldgentleman.Anditwasclearhemeanttodoit.

“Thankee，saidScrooge.“Iammuchobligedtoyou.Ithankyoufiftytimes.Blessyou！”

Hewenttochurch，andwalkedaboutthestreets，andwatchedthepeoplehurryingtoandfro，andpattedchildrenonthehead，andquestionedbeggars，andlookeddownintothekitchensofhouses，anduptothewindows；andfoundthateverythingcouldyieldhimpleasure.Hehadneverdreamedthatanywalk—thatanything—couldgivehimsomuchhappiness.Intheafter-noon，heturnedhisstepstowardshisnephew’shouse.

Hepassedthedooradozentimes，beforehehadthecouragetogoupandknock.Buthemadeadash，anddidit，

“Isyourmasterathome，mydear？”saidScroogetothegirl.Nicegirl！Very.

“Yes，sir.”

“Whereishe，mylove？”saidScrooge.

“He’sinthedining-room，sir，alongwithmistress.I’llshowyouupstairs，ifyouplease.”

“Thank’ee.Heknowsme，”saidScrooge，withhishandalreadyonthedining-roomlock.“I’llgoinhere，mydear.”

Heturneditgently，andsidledhisfacein，roundthedoor.Theywerelookingatthetable（whichwasspreadoutingreatarray）；fortheseyounghousekeepersarealwaysnervousonsuchpoints，andliketoseethateverythingisright.

“Fred！”saidScrooge.

Dearheartalive，howhisniecebymarriagestarted！Scroogehadforgotten，forthemoment，abouthersittinginthecornerwiththefootstool，orhewouldn’thavedoneit，onanyaccount.

Why，blessmysoul！”criedFred，“who’sthat？”

“It’sI.YouruncleScrooge.Ihavecometodinner.Willyouletmein，Fred？”

Lethimin！Itisamercyhedidn’tshakehisarmoff.Hewasathomeinfiveminutes.Nothingcouldbeheartier.Hisniecelookedjustthesame.SodidTopperwhenhecame.Sodidtheplumpsisterwhenshe

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